THE HIDDEN INGREDIENTS THAT CAN SLOW YOU DOWN - PART 2

Feb 27, 2018

BROWN RICE SYRUP

A sugar-coated alternative to sugar:

When you think of brown rice, it’s likely that you associate it with eating healthily. At some point, you’ve probably heard about the benefits of eating whole grains that are high in nutrients and fibre. So when you see brown rice syrup listed as an ingredient it’s not unreasonable to assume that it’s a healthier alternative to table sugar (sucrose). After all, it’s frequently marketed that way and is commonly used in sports food products. But as you’ll discover, it’s not healthier at all.

It may sound like a healthy alternative, but don’t be fooled by the name. The process of converting brown rice into syrup filters out all ‘impurities’, including any vitamins and minerals, leaving a calorie rich, but nutritionally-barren sugar. And this is the same whether it’s organic or not.

The result of this is that within 15-20 minutes of eating a product containing brown rice syrup your blood stream will be flooded with sugar. And in turn this leads to the energy-sapping blood sugar roller coasters, similar to those experienced with maltodextrin. Hence this is completely the opposite of the sustained energy levels that endurance athletes need for an optimal performance.

Why is it used?

With the increasing amount of research informing us of the health dangers of table sugar, manufacturers have sought a cost effective sweet alternative. Therefore by using brown rice syrup, you have an ingredient that sounds healthier, avoids the word ‘sugar’ on the packaging, and is cost effective.